Healthy flapjack recipe

You may not have softened dates and goji berries enough. Softening in warm coconut oil is an essential step and shouldn’t be rushed or skipped. The date, goji berry, and coconut oil mixture is the ‘glue’ in our healthy flapjack recipe and replaces the golden syrup which acts as the binding ingredient in our traditional flapjacks. 

Once soft and while still warm, the date, goji berry, and coconut oil mixture should be thoroughly blended to a fine paste. Depending on your food processor's power and speed this may take longer than the recipe states. If the mixture is struggling to come to a fine paste you could add a teaspoon or two of orange juice or smooth peanut butter to help loosen it. 

You should also make sure the mixture is densely packed into your chosen tray or container. If you don’t apply enough pressure, the mixture won’t stick together and set in an even layer. 

These flapjacks are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge due to their soft texture.

To make these healthy flapjacks even tastier, why not make a delicious topping for them? In a small pan combine 6 tbsp coconut oil with 5 tbsp cacao powder and 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey if you don’t require the recipe to be vegan. Stir over low heat to remove any lumps, then pour over the top and set in the fridge. 

You can also experiment with the nut, seed, and fruit combination. Dried apple is a nice replacement for goji berries and compliments the ground cinnamon. For a more autumnal, cosy flavour consider adding some ground ginger too. You could also swap the orange zest for vanilla or almond extract. 

Food writer Jessica Ransom recommends roasting your nuts in big batches and storing them in an airtight container so they are ready to be used in future recipes. Toasting nuts and seeds is absolutely crucial for the overall flavour of these healthy flapjacks! It also helps to dry out the nuts and give the finished flapjacks a crunchier texture. 

Traditional flapjack recipes often contain lots of butter, sugar, and syrup which are all high in calories and fat. Our healthy flapjack recipe is also high in calories and fat because it contains a large volume of nuts which are naturally high in fat. Even though this recipe contains only natural sugars and fats, and is high in protein thanks to the nuts and seeds, it’s still important to consume in moderation for a well-balanced diet. 

Food Writer Jessica Ransom says: ‘Orange and lemon zest is commonly used in baking or dessert recipes. This means that, even though zest is not in itself a sweet ingredient, when we eat it we often associate it with sweet things. I find it helps trick my brain into thinking I’m eating something that is sweeter than it is. For me, the same applies to cinnamon too.’ Eating natural sugars means you’re less likely to experience a sugar crash once you’ve eaten it and you’ll experience a more stable energy uptick.